Left Hand Smoked Goosinator Doppelbock

Brewed by Left Hand Brewing Co.
Style: Smoked
Longmont, Colorado USA

Draught tulip at Sunset Grill on 11/17/07
Dark copper-tinted mahogany with some garnet streaks. Small, but modestly well-retained dark beige head leaves little lacing. Clear.
Soft, inviting smoke suggestions in the nose are comingled with sweet caramel and toffee malts while light medicinal/peppery phenols and juicy green (grassy/leafy), but lightly crisp hops (in light quantity) assert themselves on the finish to provide a well-balanced, American interpretation of a rauchbier. Hops continue to give an interesting edge to the beer, on the finish, but chocolate, vanilla and even light coffee appear through the middle. Some slight "hardness" for lack of a better descriptor, that I always associate with Left Hand. I don’t know if that’s pasteurization or extensive filtration, but it never seems overly fresh and yeasty. A touch of alcohol warmth emerges towards the end of the glass, after it’s had plenty of time to breath. The smoke stays well integrated with the malts, as well. No flaws.
A big shot of toffee and thoroughly rich woodsmoke (with definite meaty suggestions) develops in to a more balanced phenolic pepperiness, with some medicinal notes that ride on the carbonation and give the beer a crisp ending. Sweet, but not too much so, with juicy green hops on the finish that do not impart much bitterness (unlike the smoke jumper, which was just obnoxiously over-bittered). Malts are a bit hard, again, not soft and supple, though the sugars do soften things slightly (and begin to chip away at the crisp finish, replacing it with some syrupiness towards the end). Carbonation is moderate and somewhat loose at times. No alcohol in the flavor, no flaws. Caramel/toffee, woodsmoke and lightly juicy hops linger on in to the finish.

’07 Bottle: Pours dark brown with a medium cream head. Liquid smoke dominates the aroma with very subtle malt notes. Flavor is overpowering smoke and very little else. This is the third smoked brew that I’ve had and I can’t grasp why the smoke aroma/flavor has to be so overdone. I just wish this was more balanced like the Stone Smoked Porter.

2007 bottle, corked and caged 750, opened 12 Jan 2008 - ran $9.99 in Bloomington. Extremely pressurized bottles! Rush of sweet, sweet candy and deftly-applied smoke, much more like Spezial’s than Schlenkerla’s. Whole-flower yeasty aroma with a muddled mahogany pour and a frothy, soapy beige head. Caramel and toffee taste with a bit of ash, but not too much smoke. Slightly tongue-numbing right from the start, but then again, really hits the spot. Medium, slithery body (but not syrupy), smooth with a dry, meaty end. Malt flavor is complex and solid, with a nice, somewhat cellar-based yeastiness. A heck of a good time! They really get the point: a solid bock to start with, then add a smoked accent.

Bottled. Hazy amber with a medium, off-white head. Smoked and really malty and sweet; actually very sweet.

(Bottle) Lightly hazed ruby chestnut color. Foamy beige with decent lace. I am catching a ton of DMS. Cooked corn, with some toasted malt and peat. To me this is scalloped corn that has been in the oven a bit to long. Quite light and fluffy in feel. Sweet peat and malt flavors in the front. Middle has some bitter citrus, with a touch of grapefruit and a bit of herbal hops. Lightly smoky finish and linger. Get me past the scent and this is a decent light sweet smoked bock.

750 ml corked and caged bottle poured a clear copper brown with a large lasting amber head. Aromas of carmel, smoke, molasses and a hint of dark fruit. Palate was light to medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of smoke, carmel and molasses with a crisp slightly dry lingering smoked finish.

rating from shared 750. Dark brown in color. Big, smoky aroma- smoked pok, campfire and some sweet caramel malt in the background. Taste is nice with alot of smoke flavor- smoked meat and wood, with a nice sweet caramel backbone. Finishes smoky with lingering light woody notes. Really enjoyed this.

Bottle, bought in Ermelo for € 12,-. Brown colored, firm foamy head. Beechwood smoke aroma with just a hint of soap. Initial malty sweetish flavor with pineapple attacked and almost destroyed by a Hema rookworst smoked flavor. Only medium bodied. Pleasant beer, but somehow I expected better.